Next-gen PC games will require 64-bit OS

Trent Nouveau, 23rd May 2012

A number of Frostbite-powered PC games hitting physical and digital shelves in 2013 will require a 64-bit operating system.

As EuroGamer’s Robert Purchese points out, this presumably includes a number of new DICE games, such as Battlefield 4, Bad Company 3 and perhaps even Mirror's Edge 2.

BioWare's Command & Conquer: Generals 2 will be also be powered by Frostbite 2, along with Dead Space 3.

"We'll have Frostbite-powered games in 2013 that will require a 64-bit OS," Frostbite 2 rendering architect Johan Andersson recently confirmed on Twitter.

"If you are on 32-bit, great opportunity to upgrade to Windows 8."

Interestingly enough, over 50% of PC global PC users don’t own a 64-bit version of Windows, even if their PC is powered by a 64-bit CPU. While upgrading to a 64-bit version of Windows may be costly for some, 64-bit processors and accompanying software are more efficient for gaming - as the CPU is capable of handling twice the data of a 32-bit CPU per clock cycle.

And as FrostBite’s Johan Andersson notes, the advent of Windows 8 marks the perfect opportunity to finally upgrade to a 64-bit OS, which will likely become the future standard for operating systems, especially for serious gamers.